Photographer's Note

Its povoamento is initiated in 1444, after Infant D. Enrique to have ordered to launch cattle in seven of the islands of the archipelago. Its captainship was delivers the Old Gonçalo, knight and frade of the Order of Christ. The first inhabitants had come from the provinces of the Boundary, High Alentejo and Algarve, come to join itself, later, madeirenses, Jews and mouros and, possibly, Frenchmen (present tradition in the name of the clientele of Britain). Victim of attacks of French, English and Algerian privateers during the end of séc. XVI and part of séc. XVII, Are Miguel are busy for Spanish troops in 1582, after the defeat, front the Frank Village of the Field, a French squadron, where they also fought Portuguese, of support the D. António, Prior of the Crato, candidate to the Portuguese throne. With the Restoration, in 1640, They are Miguel recoups its position of commercial center developing contact with Brazil, for where they follow colónias of emigrants. The orange, exported to England, brings Is Miguel, since the end of séc. XVIII, a great prosperity. A extermina illness the orange groves from 1860, but, in briefing, the local capacity of initiative introduces new cultures - tobacco, tea, espadana, chicory, beetroot saccharin and pineapple that guarantee the económica survival and the one that come to join themselves, with running of the years, diverse industries, the increment of fishes and the cattle one. Today They are Miguel, one of the decision centers politics and administrative of the Region, it is an island with a diversified economy and in frank progress.